Changes in the Criminal Code are the aftermath of the events of the beginning of 2025. At the end of January in Siedlce, a drunk patient attacked the help of a paramedic, which he died of.
Read also: Tragedy in Siedlce. The government will change the law to protect rescuers
Already then Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced actions and changes in legislative in this matter. It began with the provision by the Ministry of Health for rescuers of special vests, and now the government deals with the amendment to the Penal Code.
In April this year, there was a tragic attack on a doctor in the university hospital in Krakow, which was attacked by a patient with a knife. The doctor, despite the efforts of the staff, died.
In response to these events in May in Warsaw, a nationwide march of Medics took place, which aimed to draw attention to the problem of aggression against healthcare professionals.
Tightening penalties for an attack on a public official
The new law is not only about paramedics or doctors. On Tuesday, the government will deal with the proposal to tighten the criminal provisions, aimed at more effective protection of public officials, medical rescuers and citizens with help. The amendment assumes, among others Increasing penalties for attacks on these professional groups, especially in cases of serious threat to life or health.
The decision to change the regulations was made in response to the growing number of aggression acts towards, among others policemen, firefighters, doctors or nurses. According to the justification of the Ministry of Justice, which has developed a project of changes, The main goal is to deter potential perpetrators and increase the protection of people who save lives and health. The project emphasized that an increase in the number of assaults was noted, often using incapacitating agents or dangerous items.
The changes include the modification of two articles of the Penal Code regarding the violation of the inviolability of officers and persons who intervene in the protection of public life and security. Currently, sentences are two and three years in prison, respectively. The amendment provides for an increase to five years in prison In the event that the perpetrator exposes to the direct risk of losing his life or severe damage to health.
The proposed changes also emphasize the effects of the assault, and not just the type of tool used. The ministry explains that there are difficulties in clearly determining what should be considered a “dangerous object”. The new regulations are to focus on the threat to the life or health of the victims.
“This reinforced protection will also serve all people performing rescue operations, such as water and mountain rescuers, as well Citizens who intervene in defense of others or simply help people on the street” – the government justifies.
So much when it comes to physical attacks. In the case of these verbal, the decision to prosecute must be taken by the injured party and the proceedings will be conducted only at his request.
“It is proposed to leave the victim a decision to prosecute the act, if he consists only of an assassination in his honor or dignity (verbal aggression). In many cases, the injured party may not be interested in conducting such proceedings, inevitably forcing him to devote the time related to participation in the procedural activities” – reads in the assessment of the effects of regulation.
The project also provides for changes in the Code of Offenses. Persons disrupting public order during medical action, in medical facilities or in administrative institutions They are to be punished with a fine of 1 thousand. zloty. The Ministry of Justice announces consistent enforcement of these provisions, which is to be a “clear signal that the state will not tolerate such behavior.”
Penalties for bringing a fire hazard
This is not the only project that the government will deal with on Tuesday. The second is also aimed at amending the Code of Offenses, but in a completely different matter.
The government is planning Exacerbating penalties for arson, including burning grass and distributing fire in forests, in meadows and peat bogs. On Tuesday, the ministers are to deal with a project that provides for raising fines and fines.
The draft amendment to the Code of Offenses and the Code of Conduct in offenses was prepared by the Ministry of Justice. The proposed changes are a response to a recent fire in the Biebrza National Park, which covered about 450 ha of meadows and reeds.
In the justification to the project, it was emphasized that Current penalties for offenses related to the causing of a fire, referred to in art. 82 of the Code of Offenses, have not been updated for 27 years. Also, the maximum amount of the mandate for these offenses has been unchanged since 2001, i.e. from the moment of entry into force of the Code of Conduct in cases of offenses.
The Ministry of Justice in the draft amendment proposed changes regarding consistency for distributing fire in forests, meadows, peat bogs and at a distance of up to 100 m from these areas.
New recipes They are also to cover smoking outside the places designated for the stay of people. Currently, such actions are punishable by a reprimand, a fine, custody or restriction of liberty. After the changes come into force, these offenses will be punished with a fine, arrest or limitation of freedom, Without the possibility of applying a reprimand.
The project also provides for the abolition of a reprimand and the introduction of a penalty of restriction of liberty in relation to paragraphs 1, 2, 4 and 5 art. 82 of the Code of Offenses. This applies to deeds that can lead to fire, its spread, as well as obstructing rescue operations or evacuation.
The same sanctions are to threaten people who did not provide adequate fire protection conditions, smoke grass at a distance of less than 100 m from the buildings, forests or other areas, or when firing hinders traffic. The new regulations will also include people who carelessly handle fire or do not supervise firing.
Uniform penalties and higher fines
After introducing changes, each offense under art. 82 parish 1-5 of the Code of Offenses will be threatened with a uniform penalty, restriction of liberty or a fine. The Ministry of Justice also proposes Raising the upper limit of a fine for these offenses from 5,000 PLN up to 30 thousand zloty.
Changes in the Code of Conduct in cases of offenses are to enable A fine in mandate proceedings up to 5,000 PLN (currently PLN 500). In the event that the perpetrator committed several offenses in one act, the maximum amount of the ticket will increase to 6,000. PLN (from 1000 PLN).
In the justification of the project, it was emphasized that the court would still be able to, in special cases, apply an extraordinary alleviation of the penalty or withdraw from its imposition, taking into account the nature of the act and the circumstances of the case. It has been added that extraordinary alleviation involves imposing a penalty below the lower limit of statutory threat or the use of a milder type of punishment, including reprimands.
The need to tighten the rules has been justified by the growing fire hazard resulting from progressive climate change, such as temperature increase, lack of snow and changes in the decay of rainfall.
The government justifies the need to tighten the penalties, including climate change.
The justification of the project indicated that fires, like other uncontrolled extreme phenomena, pose a serious threat to human life and health, their property and the natural environment.
“In the context of the constantly growing fire risk, which is the result of both natural phenomena and human activities, often bearing the features of prohibited acts (setting for waste collection places, inconsistent with the provisions of grass burning, careless handling of fire in an open area) The duty of the state is to minimize this risk” – reads the effects of regulation.
